Plymouth diver lost - Devon coast, UK

[DandyDon]

Diver remains missing after difficulties off the coast of Devon

A diver who went missing 15 miles off Plymouth after getting into difficulties at sea is still yet to be found.

Coastguard started their search for the missing Plymouth man, believed to be in his 50s, yesterday morning after an organised dive alerted them about the incident.

The diver failed to resurface in an area about 7.5 miles east of the Eddystone Lighthouse on Saturday, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

Falmouth Coastguard were involved in the search throughout the day and Devon and Cornwall Police were also alerted at 4.30pm.

It is believed Falmouth Coastguard called off the search for the diver on Sunday morning. The Coastguard is was asking boats in the area for the Fastnet race to report any sightings.

The search was stood down at about 10:20am.

Updates as we have them.

 

[Firebar]

I was sailing past the area on Sunday and there was a regular Maday Relay on VHF16 telling all vessels from Salcombe to Lizard and 20 nm offshore to keep a lookout for a diver "in a black drysuit with no surface protection markers"

 

[Vitesse2l]

We were club diving nearby on that Sunday (Hilsea Point) and heard the same messages.

That was a couple of weeks ago but ive heard no news since. That's the second local diver lost this year. Very sad.

 

[DandyDon]

PLBs & Dive Canisters are so cheap. I never leave home without my PLB, carry it on all hikes, dives, etc.

 

[Firebar]

Interestingly enough the race that I was sailing in at the time had this year, for the first time, mandated that all competitors carry an AIS SART on top of the EPIRB that all boats had to carry already.